US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reaffirmed America's strategic security partnership with Qatar on Thursday, the Pentagon said, amid a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf.

It was also announced that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Kuwait -- one of the countries angry at Qatar in the spat -- on July 10 at the invitation of Kuwait to discuss the row.

Mattis, who spoke with his Qatari counterpart Khaled bin Mohammed al-Attiyah by phone, discussed the status of operations against the Islamic State group.

Qatar hosts a vital US-led command center at the Al-Udeid air base, where the anti-IS coalition launches raids against the jihadists.

"Secretary Mattis and Minister al-Attiyah affirmed their commitment to continued US-Qatar cooperation and deepening their strategic partnership," a Pentagon readout of the conversation stated.

Saudi Arabia is leading a four-country blockade of Qatar in the region's biggest crisis in years.

Mattis stressed the importance of de-escalating tensions "so all partners in the Gulf region can focus on next steps in meeting common goals," the readout stated.

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Washington (UPI) Jul 6, 2017
In an annual review, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co. said new wells drilling at a field near Riyadh could add another 300,000 barrels of oil per day by 2018. The company known commonly as Saudi Aramco issued an annual review of operations during 2016, saying it was positioned to maintain its role as a global oil and gas supplier. Coming off a year that saw crude oil prices hit historic lows, ... read more

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